


Cherry coke is the sweetest

by Asocial_killjoy



Category: Phan
Genre: Cancer, Character Death, Charity Auctions, Dan Howell and Phil Lester Are Teenagers, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Sick Dan Howell, Sick Phil Lester, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 02:58:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18983827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asocial_killjoy/pseuds/Asocial_killjoy
Summary: Dan has cancer and Phil doesn't know until..well read to find out........Daniel Howell; A boy who very rarely leaves the hospital unless it's to go to the cancer charity to see the love ofhis life.Phil Lester;  An absolutely clueless boywho lives for the day that he gets to see Daniel Howell.Cherry Coke;  A cheap lame ass versionof the fault in our starsThe Author:   Someone who wrote this story in 3 weeks and found it harder to actually come  up with the song of the day and the chapter names then actually write this damned story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [If you dont know what youre doing with youre life rn and need to just think or runaway to venice](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=If+you+dont+know+what+youre+doing+with+youre+life+rn+and+need+to+just+think+or+runaway+to+venice).



> Song of the day: American Candy- The Maine  
> _____________  
> 5 years old

Song of the day: American Candy- The Maine  
_____________  
5 years old

"I don't need to go to school" Phil huffed with his small arms crossed across his chest. 

"Jeaus christ Philip- for the last time it's not your choice."   
It was 7 am on a school day and Phil's mom and been attempting to drag him out the door to go to his pre-school. Phil had other ideas and was currently throwing a stage 7 tantrum.

"Robert help me get your son ready" his mother pleaded.

"Phillip listen to your mother" his father didn't even glance up from his newspaper.

"Thanks for the help Robert." Phil's mom was attempting to put on her son's backpack but with him struggling out of her grip it was pointless. 

"You know what I'm done with this." She sighed."I've been trying to make him get ready for school for almost 5 hours now. I'm done he is your responsibility today." She grabbed her purse and walked out of the house with her heels clacking behind her.

A few minutes after she left Phil's dad looked up from his newspaper in confusion. "Where's your mother?"

"She left. She said that I'm your re-spon-si-bility now." Phil said while playing with the straps on his green backpack.

"Well fuck."

"What did you say dad?" Phil asked innocently.

"Nothing. Say, do you want to go my work today?" 

Phil's father worked for some big fancy corperation that ran a charity event every year and whenever his father came home from one of those events he would have amazing of stories of the people there and the amount of fun that they had.

"Yeah! Let's go to your work" Phil cheered. He knew that his dad would be much easier to break then his mom. "Where do you work again?"

Phil's father chuckled. "I work downtown Philip remember? We have that big charity every year with a lot of other kids your age. Speaking of which..." Phil's father looked down at his watch "Is today! You lucky boy! Come one we've got to get going!"

In less than 5 minutes Phil and his father were ready to get going. It was Phil's first time on the subway and all of the tall people scared him. The robot voice was also scary but at least he wasn't going to school.

After clinging on to his seat in the subway cart for almost 30 minutes the robot voice spoke again.

"The next station is welbom. Welbom station. Doors will open on your right."

Phil's father started to stand up and grabbed his suitcase "this is our stop, philly" 

Phil grabbed his father's hand as he lead him out of the subway and up to the charity. It was Phil's first time downtown and the cranes and office buildings towered over his head and some were so tall that they'd disaper in the cloudy sky.

His thoughts were interrupted by loud pop music pumping from speakers behind him. When he turned around he saw an enitre stadium filled with bikes standing on the bleachers and in the very center of the stadium was a large stage surrounded by yellow balloons. 

Phil's father started to weave through all of the bikes slowly making his way to the stage where a group of people were talking while Phil got lost in the hoard of bicycles .

"Bill, could you take care of my son Phillip for a second?" Phil's father yelled at some scrawny intern dressed in a tracksuit.

The intern- presumably Bill pushed up his glasses and was about to respond when Phil's father walked into a building. Leaving Phil in the bicycle maze.

At first Phil was scared out of his mind. 'What if no one finds me. What if no one even notices that I'm gone?' A tear started to trickle down his cheek. But then he heard a small giggle coming from the left of him.

Phil turned around to face a small boy with chocolate brown curls and a pink t-shirt that said "all you need is love". The boy stuck out his hand.

"Hello my name is Daniel James howell do you need any help?" He asked in a very posh accent that sounded kinda funny.

"My name is philip micheal lester and I'm lost." Phil said while wipeping tears away from his electric blue eyes.

"Well Phil lucky for you i know the way out" Daniel gestured at the bicyle maze surrounding them

"My name isn't Phil. It's Philip" said the blue eyed boy.

"Well, Phil I get to call you what I want because I'm helping you" Daniel said while grinning.

"Fine then I'm calling you Dan." 

"But that's not my name!" 

"Too bad so sad. now lets get out of here Dan!"


	2. PROLOUGE PART 2: DANISHES CURE EVERYTHING

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day: skeptics and true believers- the Academy is..  
> __________________  
> 10 years old

Every year Dan and Phil would meet back up at the charity. It was the only time that they'd actually see each other because being ten years old they didn't exactly have their own phones.

"Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad." Phil said while poking his sleeping father's cheek.

"Philip shut up." His mother groaned and turned her back on her son. Phil glared at his mother and went back to poking his father.

"Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad." Phil said, but this time in a much quieter tone to not disturb his mother. 

"What is it" Phil's father muttered with his eyes closed as if by closing his eyes he could to eliminate Phil from existence.

"It's time to go to see Dan" Phil whisper yelled into his father's ear.

"Philip I said SHUT UP." His mother yelled so loud that she woke her husband up in the process.

"Jesus Julie calm down, he's just excited to see his friend" his father tried to coax his mother but ended up making her angrier.

"No, you know what Robert, I have a right to be angry" She started to raise her voice and Phil hid behind the bed- he knew what was about to happen. "He comes in and wakes everyone up! Just because you grew up in a house where no one loved you or got angry at you doesn't mean that that's how we have to raise our famliy" She was almost yelling now and Phil had clenched his eyes shut as if it could block out his mother's voice. 

"That's not what I'm saying Julie, I just think you could be a bit nicer to him sometimes!" His father started to raise his voice as well and Phil curled up in a ball next to the bed.

"So what do you want me to do Robert? Huh? Do you want me to do this?" She looked over the side of the bed to see her son crying in a ball beside the bed "Oh dear, Philip are you alright?" She said with mock concern dripping from her voice. Phil just cried harder. 

His mother stormed out of the bedroom and looked back at her son who was almost on the verge of a full blown panic attack now. "Man up Philip" she sneered and slammed the bedroom door behind her. Leaving a angry husband and an crying 10 year old in her wake.

Phil just stayed curled up in a ball of tears until his mother had driven to work and his father came over and crouched down beside him "You know how she gets sometimes" he said while rubbing his sons back.

Phil just nodded. " It's.. it's.. it's alright." He said hiccuping and wipeing the tears away from his face.

They stayed like that for a while. Phil trying to stop crying and his father telling him that it will be alright.

"Are you feeling better Phil? Do you want to stop by the Danish shop before we go to the subway?" His father said while standing up.

Phil smiled weakly when his father mentioned the Danish shop, they used to go there when he was younger and his mother was still happy.

Phil and his father walked out of their house in silence and walked to their Danish shop. 

"Hello there Philip! How might you be doing today?" Said the nice lady from over the counter.

Phil wiped his eyes, he still felt icky even after the long walk, and his father answerd for him.

"We are doing great aren't we Philip!" Phil smiled weakly at his father and the lady at the front desk. "We are just about to go the charity for the fifth year in a row and Phil's very excited to see his friend Dan!" His father said cheerfully and Phil nodded.

"Well that sounds exciting Phil! Do you guys want a Danish?" She said, already grabbing a paper bag to hold the danishes. 

Phil nodded excitedly as his father responded "Nooo Philip doesn't like danishes do you?" Phil glared at his father and the older man laughed. "Kidding! Can we have an apple danish and a black coffee please?" 

The lady turned around sending her red hair flying as she made Phil's father's coffee. After a few minutes she was done and handed Phil his Danish in the paper bag and handed his father the scalding hot coffee. Phil watched as his father started to look through his suitcase for his wallet   
"It's on the house mister Lester." The lady said with a sweet smile. 

"Thanks Cindy! You're a peach!" Phil and his father walked out of the shop leaving the blushing barista behind them. 

Phil turned to his father. "Can we see Dan now?" Phil said with his mouth full of apple danish.

His father sighed. "Okay Philip, let's get going." 

The walk to the subway wasn't so long as they had already walked almost two thirds of the way there when they walked to the danish shop. They got onto the subway and Phil didn't look up from the tiled floor, even after five years of going on the subway he still got anxious. Soon they had boarded and in almost 5 minutes they where at their stop, it took a lot shorter than what Phil remembered but he didn't mind- a shorter ride meant a shorter time in the subway with all of the weird people.

"The next station Is welbom, welbom station. Doors will open on your right" the robot voice said. 

Phil father lead him through the crowds of people and up into the stadium. As soon as Phil saw the bright yellow balloons and the bikes his face broke up into a grin. His father looked down at him and patted his back. "Have fun Phil. Bill should talk to you you about something in a minute but I have to go." 

Phil started to run to the front of the stage hoping that he'd be able to see Dan, but all he was met with was does of empty bikes that seemed to stretch on forever. Phil cupped his small hands around his mouth "DANIEL JAMES HOWELL" He yelled out. 

Dans grinning head popped up in the middle of the bikes and he yelled back at Phil. "PHILIP MICHAEL LESTER" Dan stumbled over to the side almost knowing over an entire row of bikes. "PLAY HIDE AND SEEK WITH ME AND EVERYONE ELSE!" He yelled out again. A bunch of other faces popped out from the bikes and Phil recognized a few of them from previous years. 

Phil smiled and yelled back "OKAY"

Soon Phil forgot all about what had happened that morning and he was the happiest he had been in a year.


	3. Cherry coke will kill you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day... Diet Coke Society- The Maine
> 
> They are 15 years old

The next few years followed in a blur each year Dan and Phil would go to the charity and hype up all of the bikers and eat all of the food that was meant for the bikers. 

As they grew up hide and seek didn't work as well because being almost 5'8  it was kind of hard to hide in the maze of bikes so instead they set up camp underneath the state's tarp and stayed there for the entire day, only coming out for bathroom and snack breaks.

It was Phil's year at the charity and he was even more exited to see Dan this year. He had been waiting forever to see him and the day was finally here!

"dad" Phil whispered into his father's ear.

No response.

"Dad" Phil said again a bit louder. This time his father pulled the old blankets over his head.  

"Just ten more minutes Philip." He said while turning over to face the other side of the room as if not seeing Phil would block out his voice.

"DAD! You said that an hour ago! Time to get up!" Phil pulled the covers off his father and ran downstairs to get ready to see dan. leaving his father to freeze in the cold air.

Phil's father started to get ready when he saw the red light of his alarm clock out of the corner of his eye. 

It was 5:23 am. 

"Jesus Christ Philip."

After his father finally got ready with all of their stuff it was 7 am and Phil had been yelling at him the entire time to hurry up. 

"WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!" Phil yelled up the staircase just as his father rushed down with his briefcase.

"No we're not buddy, come on let's get going" he ruffled Phil's hair which had  taken him hours to do because he wanted to look good for Dan. After all, they only see each other once a year so why not look his best.

"Daaaaad, I spent hours on my quiff" Phil whined while running his fingers through his hair desperately trying to fix the birds nest that his father made.

His father chuckled "If I sent know any better I'd think you were a gay teenager who had a crush on Dan" 

Phil sighed "Dad, I'm 15 . I am  a teenager." Ugh parents. Why do they have to be so weird.

"Fair point." His mother butt in. She was coming to the charity today "But that doesn't explain why are you wearing all black. You look like a depressed faggot. Now Go upstairs and get changed and get all of that gel out of your hair, I let you dye it but there is no way in hell that you are going out with spikes fucking sticking up out of your head ."

"Okay mom." Phil walked upstairs in defeat, he didn't want to oppose his mother in fear of what happened earlier this year to happen again. He didn't want to end up being asked about the bruises again. He sighed and changed into something that he knew his mother would approve of.  

He washed the majority of the hair gel out of his black hair but didn't have enough time to style it so he just let it flop down over one of his eyes

Twenty minutes later Phil rushed down the staircase with his hair flopping in front of his eyes. 

His mother gave him a suspicious once over and then nodded his head and they walked out of the door and to the subway station together.

Soon they arrived down town but the event had already started and Dan was nowhere to be found. 

Naturally Phil started to freak out. 

"Dad. We are late." 

"I noticed that"

"Dad. I need to find Dan"

"He can be alone for a few a mintues" 

His mother glared at him "Shut up Philip"

Phil brushed his mother's  words off and started to think about Dan. What if Dan thought that he forgot about him. What if Dan hated him. What if Dan replaced him. 

He ran over to the food stands behind the stage because if Dan was going to be anywhere it was going to be next to the pastries.

He was almost at the stands when something from underneath the stage tripped him. Phil fell flat on his face, luckily he was at the back of the stage or else everyone would have gotten a face full of Philly head planting into the asphalt.

Phil got onto his knees and started to look at what tripped him when a hand with black nail polish grabbed his wrist and pulled him under the stage.

Phil looked up to see his favorite sight in the world.

Chocolate brown hair.

Phil scooched backwards so he could take in the full view of Dan.

Dan looked cuter than ever. His hair was curly and he was wearing an oversized black sweatshirt and black skinny jeans. He looked like he was wearing a better version of what Phil was wearing before he had to go change.

Phil took another look at Dan's face trying to see how much he had changed over the year.

Phil could see some adorable freckles  on Dan's cheeks and his eyes looked more like cinnamon toast crunch this time instead of chocolate. Which was fine because he liked them both equally. 

Phil paused for a moment wondering if Dan thought that he was weird for starring at him but it looked like Dan was checking him out too.

Phil's eyes glanced towards Dan's lips. 

"Huh. So they still look nice" Phil thought.

After an awkward silence they both started to laugh. 

"So...how's it going Philly?" Dan scratched the back of his neck - it was a nervous habit.

"You first" Phil picked up one of the timbits that Dan had stolen from the food stands and shoved it in his mouth.

"I'm alright..Not dead yet so that's a plus, but nothing really interesting happens this year."

"I'm doing pretty okay like you cause we're not dying or anything like all of the other kids here" Phil smiled 

Phil could of sworn he saw Dan's grin fall for a second "well actually..'

"Do you go on a rant about how we are all dying because that is not what we should be talking about" Phil interrupted.

Dan just chuckled awkwardly "yeah...." but Phil was to busy trying to stuff his face all of the donut holes to listen. Or care.

Dan started to laugh at how much Phil looked like a chipmunk which caused Phil to start to laugh which made him spit out all of the donut holes back onto the plate.

"Eeeewwww. Throw it out!" Dan screeched.

Phil pushed the paper plate outside of the tarp hoping no one would notice that a plate filled with  soggy donut hole randomly appeared. 

Phil wiped his mouth and looked at Dan. "Speaking of ew. Have you had your first kiss yet?" (Ik nice transition there) 

Dan just blushed shook his head. 

"Really dude? Are you sure? We are 15." Phil's eyes widened. How could a good looking guy like Dan not have kissed anyone yet? He was not doubt hot enough to be popular and have a girlfriend.

"Am I sure? Really?" Dan  smiled while leaning back

"Yeah?" Phil said timidly 

"Yes I'm sure Phil" he paused "why do you ask?"

At this time Phil's brain was yelling at him to abort but it was too late now. 

"Um.... no reason." Phil quickly responded hoping that Dan wouldn't press for answers. But Dan gave him this 'are you freaking kidding me' look and Phil relented.

"I just...i just ..thought that maybe we could practice on each other?" He stuttered out while hiding behind his fringe.

"Okay but first you have to wash your mouth out. I don't want your donut hole siliva on me"

Phil's heart stopped. Did Dan? Did he Really? Really? What. 

"Well I mean it wouldn't hurt to practice, right? And it's not like it means anything." Dan added

Phil's brain couldn't function but thankfully his body could. 

Phil crawled out from underneath the stage and ran out to the food stands. 

He went up to one of the men who was running the food stands and asked if he could have some water. The man just pointed a finger at a cooler and told him that he could have any of the drinks in there because they were all flat.

He grabbed a two cherry cokes.and downed the first on in minutes and thanked the man as he ran back to Dan.

When Phil arrived back underneath the stage he saw Dan smiling at him.   
He handed Dan the other cherry coke.

"I got one for us to share" Phil stammered  nervously.

"Cherry coke? That's my favorite! Thanks Philly!" Dan squealed.

And suddenly their lips were touching. 

Phil was shocked he didn't think that they were going to start practicing right then, but he didn't mind. 

Dan kissed him a bit more  but it was obvious that neither of them really knew what they were doing.

Dan stopped and they both giggled.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. we just kissed. Okay. Now it's your turn to try to kiss me."   
Dan was grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay. But I'm not that good." Phil smiled nervously 

"Oh come on you were great! It's easy!  It's just like This." Dan leaned in once again and their lips touched briefly. 

"See? You do that and I'll help you out! Okay?" 

"Ok"

Phil leaned into Dan faster than before and accidentaly ended up knocking Dan on his back while somehow laying on his chest. 

The both giggled as Phil pressed his lips down on to Dan's and the taste of cherry coke exploded in his mouth.

the afternoon passed and it was filled with cherry cola flavored kisses and happy giggles it was their day and nothing could ruin it. But as the charity started to come to an end Dan seemed to become more and more anxious.

"Hey Phil.." Dan started to speak but was inturupted by a loud voice coming from outside of the stage.

"Philip! Time to go!" Phil looked at Dan sadly.

"We can talk for a few more minutes before she starts looking for me." Phil said in a hushed tone as if his mother could hear them over the sound of music that the stage was playing.   
"So what were you say" Phil was inturupted by his mother's  voice again.

"We have to go Philip!" 

Dan looked at Phil and smiled "it's alright it can wait for later, let's just focus on now, you should probably get going." Phil started to pout. 

"..fine. But can I at least have a goodbye kiss?" He paused "for practice of course"

"Um okay." Phil leaned into Dan's soft lips once again but this time he wrapped his hands into Dan's soft curls. Just as Phil was about to pull away the sound of the tarp rustling and an angry voice inturupted him.

"Philip. Time to go. Now." His Mother's voice broke through the shocked silence. Phil pulled away from Dan immediately looking at his father horrified.

"Philip. Time. To. Go." His Mother said while glaring at Dan. Phil took one last look at Dan and smiled weakly, it was all going to be alright.

Phil drove home in silence but even after all that had happened it was still the day that Phil decided that he loved the taste of cherry coke.


End file.
